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Q: If someone stopped my play with a Surprise, and then I used Mystery Play, and drew a Surprise, can I use that to counter their Surprise?

A: No, the Surprise you draw via Mystery Play* cannot be used to stop the previous Canceling of your play. It’s far too late. Whatever card you played has been Canceled, and that’s that. With no Surprise available, you could not stop the Surprise, so you have moved on and taken your next game action: choosing to use Mystery Play.

Since choosing to use Mystery Play will always disrupt the immediacy required for a reactive Surprise play, any Surprise drawn via Mystery Play would have to be used for it’s in-turn function.

Note that you may be seeing this FAQ because your deck has a version of this card with a different name. There are so many analogues for Mystery Play that you should simply check the Fluxx Comparison Chart. Highlight the row for the Rule: Mystery Play, and scroll across to the deck you have to find the card this question refers to.

Q: Why is it “Magic Shoes” and not “Ruby Slippers” in Oz Fluxx?

A: It’s all about licenses. The original book is in the public domain. The MGM movie is not. The original book had magic shoes, which were described as silver, I believe. It’s only the movie version which recast them as ruby slippers, no doubt to show off the exciting new COLOR film of the day, where silver would have been pretty bland by comparison.

We were not going to pay to license the movie rights from MGM when the book is in the public domain, and they’re similar enough that people can make their own connections. We dodged the illustration issue by making Magic Shoes an Action, which doesn’t have art.

Q: Can I draw my Mystery Play from the bottom of the discard pile if Composting is in play?

A: All cards in the discard pile are considered to be “not hidden.” You can look through them at any time. So when Composting is in play, you are considered to be able to look at any and all cards you might possibly draw. Since the card you play with Mystery Play is supposed to be a mystery, Andy rules that, no, you may not pull your Mystery Play from the bottom of the discard pile.

Note that you may be seeing this FAQ because your deck has a version of this card with a different name. There are so many analogues for Mystery Play that you should simply check the Fluxx Comparison Chart. Highlight the row for the Rule: Mystery Play, and scroll across to the deck you have to find the card this question refers to.

Q: What happens if you draw a turn-ending card when you use Wormhole?

…It says the card played does not count as a Draw or Play, so does it still end your turn?

A: Yes, while that card you draw from Wormhole (or any of its analogues) doesn’t count against the Draw or Play count as shown on the rule cards, it’s still part of your turn, and the card still counts as being fully played. Whatever it says happens, happens. That’s the risk you take, pulling a card out of the Wormhole! Keep in mind that the turn-ending effect of New Rules is optional, so simply playing them does not end your turn.

Also remember you can take the Wormhole option at ANY time during your turn: before your Draws and Plays, in the middle of your Draws, in the middle of your Plays, or after both, if you like. That’s the only control you get to exert: WHEN and WHETHER you decide to play a card from the Wormhole.

Analogues of Wormhole (which is in Star Fluxx) include (some with slight variations such as conditional requirements for use):
Magic Shoes in Oz Fluxx
Shiny! in Firefly Fluxx

There are many other Wormhole analogues in other versions, but those versions don’t also include turn-ending Actions.

See also: Q: What cards have effects that include ending my turn immediately if I play/use them?
See also: Q: What are all the different cards in different versions where you get to draw the top card and play it immediately?

Q: Can I play a Surprise to cancel a win caused by using Mystery Play*?

A: It depends which Surprise you have, and when you play it.

If you have the promo No Free Lunch, found in the More Surprises pack, you can play it to prevent someone from utilizing Mystery Play (or any of its analogues, see below). The trick is, you’d have to play No Free Lunch when they declare they’re using Mystery Play, but before they reveal the card – you can’t wait to see whether it makes them win to declare you’re using No Free Lunch.

On the other hand the card that is drawn and played because of Mystery Play is affected by any of the “standard” Surprises. So if the winning card played because of Mystery Play was a Goal, then Canceled Plans would be able to prevent the win, since it cancels Goals. If the card played was a Keeper, you’d need to use the That’s Mine in order to stop the win.

Of course, you can’t cancel any of these if YOU are the one who is using Mystery Play.
See Can one ever use the “out-of-turn” function of a Surprise during one’s own turn? (spoiler alert: no)

*Note that you may be seeing this FAQ because your deck has a version of this card with a different name. There are so many analogues for Mystery Play that you should simply check the Fluxx Comparison Chart. Highlight the row for the Rule: Mystery Play, and scroll across to the deck you have to find the card this question refers to.

Q: Does the Rule: Mystery Play require one to play the specific card flipped up from the top of the deck?

My friends think you can add it to you hand, and play some other card from their hand.

A: You are correct, your friends are incorrect. You pull the top card off the deck, and immediately play that card. You do not get to add it to your hand, or play any other card from your hand.

Note that you may be seeing this FAQ because your deck has a version of this card with a different name. There are so many analogues for Mystery Play that you should simply check the Fluxx Comparison Chart. Highlight the row for the Rule: Mystery Play, and scroll across to the deck you have to find the card this question refers to.